Glass-tank



No. 617,748. Patented Ian. 17, I899.

A. U. HURLEY.

GLASS TANK.

(Applicatiozi filgd Feb. 4, 159a. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet i.

0" w I u Paientefi Mn. 27, I899. A.

E}. HUELEY.

GLASS $515M.

(Application filed Feb. 4, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J A xii? l 1 1 J Z 1 J i :51 Fir .L J n z m -"r 1-! 1 1 J W F. FILE 1 .Zzfrresse:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE? HURLEY, OF JEANNE TTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

G LASS-TAN K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,748, dated January 17, 1 899.

- Application filed February 4, 1898. Serial No. 669,126. (No model.)

T0 at whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW O. HURLEY, a resident of Jeannette, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Glass-Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to glass tank furnaces. It has been found by experience that in the operation of these furnaces the Walls of the melting-section, particularly, crumble and wear away, so that the particles of the refractory material of which they are composed become mixed with the molten glass, and injure the quality of same. At the same time the walls have to be renewed frequently, thereby adding largely to the expense of the operation of these tanks. This crumbling or wearing away of the walls is chieliy due to the action-of the flux in the molten glass which attacks the refractory material of the walls and disintegrates same: This action takes effect more particularly at the meltingsection of the furnace, as it is in this section that the highest temperature is maintained in order to melt the batch properly and provide for the fining of same. The glass then flows to the gathering-section,which is maintained at a lower temperature, and consequently the action on the walls is not so severe. The object of my'invention, therefore, is to provide means for preventing this disintegration of the walls of the tank, and thus not only improve the quality of the glass, but increase the life ofthe walls.

, My invention consists, generally stated, in bringing-a cooling fluid directly in contact with the molten glass,-so as to chill the same and form a lining of glass, which-protects the walls and prevents the wearing away of same.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and practice my'invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of aglass-tank furnace embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1'. Fig. 3 is' a top view with a portion of the roof removed. Fig. 4: is. an enlarged cross-section of the water-tank. f Fig. 5 is a face viewof a portion of the perforated metal plate formregular gathering-ports 6.

ing the walls of the furnace. Fig. 6 is a plan View, enlarged, of a portion of the water-tank. Fig. 7 is a modified form.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each view.

My invention may be applied to dilferent forms of glass-tank furnaces, as the arrangement of heating-fines, the, forms no part of this invention.

The letter or represents such a glass-tank furnace having the regenerators I) located along the sides .of the inelting section and having the ports 0 leading into said meltingsection. These regenerators only extend along'the melting-section, as it is in this secti on oft-he. furnace that the hightemperature is'maintained for. the melting operation. The tank-furnace may therefore be said to be divided into the melting-section d and the gathering-section e. The gathering end has the The roof f is supported independently of the walls in theordinary manner to allow for the repairing of the said walls without interfering with said roofQ The walls g of the forward end of the furnace or the'gathering-section may be composed of bricks or refractory material for the reason more fully hereinafter set forth.

Surrou ndingthe melting-section d of the furnace is the reservoir h, said reservoir forming the Walls of this portion of the furnace. This reservoir 7b is preferably constructed of metal consisting of the bottom plate 1', the

outer side plates 7' and the inner side plate k, which really form the Walls of the furnace in the melting-section. These plates 1;, j, and k are secured together by angles and are so connected as to form a water-tight reservoir. The interior braces Z and, cross-bars Z act to reinforce the plates, and the outside braces m. further strengthen the construction. The inner plate has the orifices 10'' formed at intervals over its surface, said orifices being pref.-

- erably staggered, as shown. 'Bolted or other wise secured to the plate t' is the wooden lin-' ing a, bolted or otherwise secured to said plate 2'. Thiswooden lining is only-a temporary affair, as will appear from the description .which follows. v

i 'In order to supply the reservoir with water and keep up a circulation of the same therein,

too-

I provide the main supply-pipe 0, which extends longitudinally of the reservoir and from which project the branch pipes These branch pipes 0 enter the reservoir and preferably extend down adjacent to the bot-.

tom thereof, so that the fresh water being admitted near the bottom of said reservoir will rise therein andpass out through the overflow-pipes 0". The pipes 0 are furnished with suitable valves 0 I The batch for forming the glass is introduced into the front end of the furnace, and the furnace is then heated up to the proper temperature to melt the batch, which gradually resolves itself into a molten mass. As the temperature increases the glass becomes thinner and flows towardthe gathering end.

The high heat of this molten mass, which is in contact with the wooden lining, will burn away and destroy said lining. is consumed the metal plate 70 becomes exposed to the molten glass, while the orifices is bring tlie'furnace into communication with the reservoir; The glass will not enter the reservoir, however, as the water in said res-,

ervoir will pass through the orifices and chill or stifien the glass adjacent to the plate, so

that a layer of chilled glass, such as repre sented at 0", Fig. 2, will be formed. The constant circulation of the water will maintain this layer of chilled glass as long as the water flows in the reservoir. These glasstank furnaces are operated continuously, and

the heat is kept at this high temperature during the entire.fire, or from early fall until the succeeding summer, when the an nual shut-down occurs. The consequence is that the hot molten glass does not have an opportunity to reachthe wallsof the furnace, but. i'swheld within this basin, as it were, of chilled glass, as there is generally a layer of semiiiuid or-partially solid glass on the bottom of thesefurnaees, as the depth of the glass will prevent the heat from penetrating same so as to keep it as thinas in the upper portion, where the heat is most intense, while at the same time an air-chamber is sometimes located under the floor of the furnace. This wall of chilled glass will not be hot enough.

As the lining of my invention in which the-inner metal ing employed. The interior of the reservoir has .the brick pillars t built therein at suitable intervals apart and formed of checkerwork. These pillars act' to brace the sides. As the wooden lining is destroyed, as before, the water will flow directly in contact with a chilled layer of glass as before described. Thev chilled glass will prevent the flux of the ing the bricks of the pillars.

' By my invention I am enabled to avoid the plate is omitted, a wooden lining s alone be- In 'Fig. 7 I have illustrated a modified form the molten glass and form the same kind of 'molten glass from attacking and disintegratstony glass, which is very frequently the;

.cause of defects in the finished glass, while at the same time the wallsof the furnace do notwear out sov rapidly and the expense of renewing same so frequently'is avoided.

I do not wish to limit myself to any particuing a cooling fluid into direct contact with the glass. a

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method of working glass-tank furnaces, consisting in bringing a cooling fluid directly in contact with the molten glass con-- tained Within the furnace, substantially as set forth. I

,chambcr therein, a reservoir for holding a cooling fluid around said melting-chamber,

lar form of construction for obtaining this chilled layer of glass, but-wish to claim, broadly, the forming of such a layer bybring- 2. AIglass-tank furnace having a melting and meansfor bringing said fluid int-o contact with the glass in said chamber, substan tially as set forth.

3. A glass-tankfurnace having-a meltingchamber therein, a reservoir for holding a cooling 'fluid around said melting-chamber, and a combustible partition separating said fluid from themolten glass, substantially as set forth. v I v 4:. A glass tank furnace having a meltingchamber therein, a reservoir for holding a cooling fluid around said melting-chamber, a perforated metal plate forming the inner side of said reservoir and the ,walls of said melting-chamber, and a combustible lining on said plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said ANDREW O. HURLEY, have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW. o. 'HURLEY.

WVitnesses:

RoBT. D. TOTTEN,

ROBERT 0. Terms.

IIO. 

